Trap hook



Sept. 3, 1940. J. A. COLE 2,213,624

TRAP HOOK Filed April 5, 1939 Patented Sept. 3, 1940 Y' UNITED STATES eAreNr *OFFICE y 2,213,624 TRAP HooK Julius A. Cole, Camden, Tenn.

Application April 5, 1939, Serial No. 266,204

7 Claims.

' This invention relates to an improved automatic self-setting trap hook.

It is a primary aim of this invention to provide an improved trap hook for use in hand line or rod and reel fishing and including a pair of hooks connected by link and lever means whereby a pull on one of the hooks will actuate the other hook to cause the last mentioned hook to swing upwardly to gai the fish caught by the iirst mentioned hook.

More particularly, it is aim of this invention to provide a supporting member adapted to be connected at one end to a fishing line, the opposite end of said member being bifurcated to pivotally support a pair of levers connected by means of a link and having hooks extending from corresponding ends thereof for trapping fish caught on one of the hooks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing the trap hook in its normal set position,

Figure 2 is a corresponding View showing the trap hook in a closed position,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing a fish caught by the hook.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, I0 designates generally the supporting member of the trap hook having an opening II at one end thereof by means of which the member I0 is adapted to be connected to a fishing line I2. The opposite depending end of the supporting member I is bifurcated to form the legs I3 and Id.

A lever I 5 is connected adjacent one of its ends by means of the pivot pin I6 to the end of the leg I3. The end H of the lever I5, which is adjacent to the pivot point I6 provided with a fastening I8 by means of which a sh hook I9 is connected to the end of the lever il to project therefrom. End Il may be split and bent as indicated at 20, to engage the shank of the hook I9 to prevent it from turning on the fastening I8 to retain it in extended position relatively a weighted element 22 secured thereto by means of the fastening 23. y

Leg I 4 is longer than the leg vI3 and is provided at its free end with the pivot pin 24 which is loosely connected to one end of a lever 25 5 which is angular in shape. The free end 26 of the lever 25, which is disposed substantially at right angles to the pivotally connected end thereof is provided with a fastening 21 to which is connected the shank end of a hook 28 which ex- 10 tends therefrom and which is held in extended position by the split flanged end 29, which corresponds to the portion 20 of lever I5.

rA link 38 is pivotally connected at one end by the pin 3l to the lever I5 between the weighted 15 element 22 and the pivot I 6 and is pivotally connected at its opposite end by the pin 32 to the lever 25 at its bend.

From the foregoing it will be seen, that the weight of the end 2I of lever I5, element 22, 20 end 26 of lever 25, and hook 28 is suicient to normally hold the hooks I9 and 28 in the position as seen in Figure 1 which is the set lposition of the trap hook. Hook I9, which is smaller than the hook 28 is adapted to be baited to form 25 the lure hook for attracting sh while the hook 28, which constitutes the gaff hook, is to be left unbaited. It will therefore be seen, that when a fish bites on the hook I9 the pull on the hook I9 which will be downwardly or away from the 30 line I2 will swing the hook 28 upwardly to cause its barbed end to gaif the underside of the body of the fish, not shown, so that the fish will be effectively trapped and held between the two hooks and further pull on the hook I9 will tend 35 to cause the hooks I9 and 28 to more eifectively engage and hold the fish. As seen in Figure 2, the barbed end of the hook 28 extends beyond the barbed end of the hook I9 to enable it to engage the body of the sh even when thehook 40 I9 is only slightly caught in the mouth.

Various modifications and changes in the pre-Y cise construction and arrangement of the parts forming the invention are contemplated and may be resorted to and the right is reserved to make 45 such variations as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising 50 a supporting member having an enlarged end, a bar pivotally connected to one side of said enlarged end, the pivotal connection being nearer to one end of the bar than 'to the other end, the longer arm of said bar extending across said en- 59 larged end, a hook secured to and projecting from the end of the shorter arm of said bar, a lever pivotally connected at one end to the opposite side of said enlarged end, the opposite end of said lever being angularly disposed relatively to the pivotally connected end, a hook connected to said angularly disposed end and projecting therefrom, and a link pivotally connecting said bar and lever.

2. Adevice of the class described comprising a supporting member having a bifurcated end, levers"`pivotally connected to the legs of said bifurcated end, portions of said levers being normally disposed in overlapping relationship, a link pivotally connecting said portions, and fish hooks projecting from corresponding ends of said levers.

3. A device as in claim 2, and the opposite end of one of said levers being provided with a Weighted element for normally holding the hooks in a set position, substantially at right angles to each other.

4. A trap hook comprising a supporting member having a forked end, levers pivotally connected to the legs of said forked end, hooks secured to and projecting from corresponding ends of said levers, a. Weighted element secured to the opposite end of one of said levers, said lever being pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends, said other lever being angularin shape, and a link pivotally connecting said levers between the Weighted element and the pivot point of the iirst mentioned lever and adjacent the pivot point of the last mentioned lever.

5. A trap hook comprising a supporting member, levers pivotally mounted in spaced apart 10 relationship thereon, hooks projecting from corresponding ends of said levers and normally disposed at an angle to each other, and a link pivotally connected to each of said levers and disposed between said pivot points. 15 

